This is a reduced manual for Formula 1, but should be enough to test the mailer.
You can order the complete version of F1 to:
Massimo Senna
via Calchi 5
27100 PAVIA ITALY
Fidonet 2:331/313.1
Bix MSenna
Compuserve 71531,32
AppleLink ITA0245
Internet 71531.32@Compuserve.com
Fax : +39 382 308562
The price is $30 + $10 for shipment outside Italy.
If you are a registered user of ZipExtract the price is $20 + $10 for shipment outside Italy.
If you are a Compuserve user you can use the Shareware Registry to register to F1, use GO SWREG to access the registry.
F1 is now shipped with a free copy of ZipExtract 2.0 that allows you to receive 'zipped' mail packets and is compatible with PkZip 2.0x.
This Demo is fully functional but has these limits:
- The application will expire after June '93
- F1 will make only one call during a event
- A session cannot be longer than 10 to 15 minutes (random value)
Introduction
Formula 1 is a communication module that improves the performance of point or BBS programs. F1 can be used as a replacement of TabbyNet and Call modules for Tabby and Copernicus, but can be used also with CounterPoint and MacWoof.
This is what F1 improves:
- Full support of WaZoo and FTS-0001 protocols.
- File transfers with ZedZap and ZedZip with crash recovery
- Full support of high speed modems:
- serial speed up to 57600 baud
- hardware handshake
- Support for all the devices registered with the Communication Toolbox.
Points:
- 4D or 5D address (uses fakenet if the boss requires it)
BBS:
- 3 levels of File Request: Default, for ‘known’ nodes and for protected sessions
Hardware Requirements
F1 works on any Macintosh with at least 1MBytes of RAM and System 6 or newer.
If you use the hardware handshake you need suited cable.
Acknowledgement
F1 passed a full beta-test cycle before this release, this is the list of beta-testers that made possible the development of F1 with their suggestions and tests.
Matteo Adreani
Lucio Cosmo
Massimo Finizio
Luca Gissi
Stephen Head
Marcello Missiroli
Andrea Mosconi
Jerry Ronchi
Salvatore Sarno
Massimiliano Pini for F1 icons...
...and all the users of proLINK BBS and MAC.ITA, the Italian Fidonet Mac conference.
Technical Support
This manual should be useful to help you install and use F1, if you need more help you can reach me at these electronic addresses:
Fidonet 2:331/313.1
Bix MSenna
Compuserve 71531,32
AppleLink ITA0245
Internet 71531.32@Compuserve.com
Fax : +39 382 308562
Or by mail:
Massimo Senna
via Calchi 5
27100 PAVIA ITALY
Installing F1
First Step
Before going on with the installation of F1 you must install the software you want to use with the mailer, then you must copy Formula 1 and F1 Setup in the same folder as the other Tabby, Copernicus, CounterPoint or MacWoof applications.
F1 and Tabby
Delete the original TabbyNet module and rename Formula 1 to TabbyNet.
F1 and Copernicus (or CounterPoint)
Delete the original Call module and rename Formula 1 to Call.
F1 and MacWoof
There is no special installation for using F1 with MacWoof, but I’ll describe here a sample configuration:
Create two folders: one folder to store the Message base of MacWoof and one folder to store the temporary files of F1. I suggest using the names Gateway and Common Folder for these folders.
If you want to unpack automatically the received packets you must create a text file named ‘common’ (or ‘generic’ if you use Tabby modules), this file must contains the full path of the ‘Gateway’ folder. You can use a text editor (like Teach Text) to create the ‘common’ file.
You can use ZipExtract and/or ArcMail Extract to expand the mail packets.
Next Step
Now launch F1 Setup that allows you to configure Formula 1.
F1 Setup and Tabby, Copernicus or CounterPoint
From the File menu choose ‘Read Tabby/Copernicus Setup’, F1 Setup will convert the existing configuration.
From the ‘Setup’ menu choose ‘Communication’, make the changes you need and click ‘Ok’, remember that your modem must be set to answer with ‘extended’ messages, read ‘Modem Setup’ chapter to have more suggestions on setting up your modem.
If you use F1 as a Point, check the Boss data ('System Addresses' from 'Setup' menu).
If you use F1 as a BBS, check the PrivateNet (‘System Addresses’ from ‘Setup’ menu), then choose ‘Applications’ from the ‘Setup’ menu, with this window you can set-up the applications launched after a successful or failed crash call.
F1 Setup and MacWoof
There is no auto set-up for MacWoof, you must configure the system manually.
Choose 'MacWoof' from the 'Emulation' menu.
Window ‘System Addresses’ from ‘Setup’ menu
- Point Name
- User Name
- Point Address (Zone:Net/Node.Point@domain) (example: 2:331/313.3@Fidonet.org)
Window ‘Folders & Files’ from ‘Setup’ menu
- Support files Folder (example ‘:Common Folder:’)
- Temporary, Received and Fidonet files Folders (example ‘:Gateway:’)
- Log filename
From the ‘Setup’ menu choose ‘Communication’, make the changes you need and click ‘Ok’, remember that your modem must be set to answer with ‘extended’ messages, read ‘Modem Setup’ chapter to have more suggestions on setting up your modem.
Check the Boss data.
With the ‘Applications’ window from ‘Setup’ menu you can set-up the applications launched when F1 quits.
If your Boss uses Tabby and the ‘Pointmail’ method you need to create an ‘Areas.BBS’ file in the Support files folder (:Common Folder:). This file must contain the list of connected areas in this form:
number<tab>tagname<tab>Boss address<cr>
Example:
1 MAC.ITA 331/313
2 GRAFICA.ITA 331/313
3 TABBY 331/313
4 MACDEV 331/313
Modem Cables
To use carrier detect and hardware handshake you must use a correct modem cable.
You can use these special characters in the command strings:
‘|’ = send a CR
‘~’ = wait 1 second
‘^’ = DTR ON
‘_’ = DTR OFF
‘`’ = wait 1/10 second
‘@’ = send a Break signal
‘\’ = escape character - allows to send the special characters without processing by F1. To send the character ‘\’ you must type it 2 times (‘\\’).
Usually F1 sends automatically a CR at the end of the command string (this is not true for the ‘Dial’ command string), you can disable this CR by ending the string with ‘;’ (example: ATX3V1;).
A few configuration examples:
Standard modem (300-2400bps)
F1 not set to hardware handshake
Modem configuration:
- Verbose answers (usually V1)
- ‘Real’ CD detection (usually &C1)
- DTR Off transition put modem in command mode (usually &D1)
Example Init: ATZ|~~ATV1&C1&D1
High Speed or MNP modem with hardware handshake
F1 set to hardware handshake and locked speed
Modem configuration:
- Verbose answers (usually V1) and extended (usually \V0)
- ‘Real’ CD detection (usually &C1)
- Speed locked (usually \J0)
- RTS/CTS Flow control (usually \Q3)
- DTR ignored (usually &D0)
Example Init: ATZ|~~ATV1\\V0&C1\\J0\\Q3&D0 (Character ‘\’ must be typed 2 times)
High Speed or MNP modem without hardware handshake
F1 set to locked speed but not set to hardware handshake
Modem configuration:
- Verbose answers (usually V1) and extended (usually \V0)
- ‘Real’ CD detection (usually &C1)
- Speed locked (usually \J0)
- Xon-Xoff flow control (usually \Q1)
Example Init: ATZ|~~ATV1\\V0&C1\\J0\\Q1 (Character ‘\’ must be typed 2 times)
Other Examples:
HangUp:+++~~ATH0
Dial:ATDP
Busy:ATH1 (BBS only)
Answer:ATA (BBS only)
File Requests
This part is useful only if you use F1 in a BBS.
Files list for F1
This file must contain all the data F1 needs to know where searching the requested file, the password (optional) needed for a file/folder, and the MagicNames conversion. This file can be created/edited with a standard text processor.
The structure of this file
Normal Folder: type the path (complete or partial) of each folder enabled for File Request
Example:
HD40:BBS:MacRequests:
Password protected folder: type the path of the folder, then the <tab> key the ‘!’ character and the password (max. length: 6 characters).
Example:
HD40:BBS:MacRequests: !MyPwd
You can password protect even files.
Example:
MacWoof.cpt !MWPass
MagicName: type the ‘@’ character, then type the ‘magicname’, <tab> and the ‘real’ filename.
Example:
@F1DEMO F1DemoIta.cpt
This is a sample file:
@NEWFILES News.cpt
@F1BETA F1B1.cpt
HD40:BBS:MacRequests:
HD40:BBS:MacComm:
HD40:BBS:Fido: !FidPwd
F1B1.cpt !BetaPwd
The ‘Answer’ file
This file is a template for an answer message sent after a File Request. Usually it is sent only if the Request failed. These are the possible commands:
%abort abort and don’t send answer.
%abort <num> don’t send answer if error number is <num>.
%exit close answer file and send it.
%exit <num> close and send answer file if error code is <num>.
%text <num> text text for error number <num>.
%line <num> text Send text if error code is <num>
%date Current Date
%time Current Time
%mynode BBS Address
%system BBS Name
%sysop Sysop Name
%yrnode Requester Address
%request name of file requested
%status send text set by %text command
These are the error codes:
1 = File not found
2 = Update not necessary
3 = Wrong password
4 = File Request limit reached
5 = File Request not accepted
6 = File Request byte limit reached
7 = File Request time limit reached
9 = Successful request
Troubleshooting
Problem: F1 reports “no mail for node xxx/yyy” but there is mail for the node.
Cause: F1 doesn’t find outbound files.
Solution: Check pathnames in the Folder window. Check that main and Boss addresses have the same zone and domain.
Problem: F1 doesn’t dial the phone or tries to hang-up with no success.
Cause: The carrier detect method chosen is wrong, the modem cable is wrong, or the modem keeps the CD signal always on.
Solution: Check the modem cable. Check modem configuration. If you still have problems choose the ‘simulated’ method.
Problem: Zmodem transfers causes many retry and the efficiency is very low.
Cause: If you use a high speed modem (or MNP) there are handshake problems, the modem cable is wrong, or the modem configuration is wrong.
Solution: If possible use always a hardware handshake cable, activate the hardware handshake with F1 Setup and configure the modem this way. If you can’t use hardware handshake, disable it with F1 Setup and configure the modem to use Xon/Xoff flow control.
